Every case starts with a person.
We take reports seriously and treat clients with dignity—without promising a predetermined answer.
Northern New York · Since 2001
We don’t chase ghosts.
We seek the truth.
We listen without judgment, investigate without assumptions, and follow the evidence—whether the answer is natural, unexplained, or somewhere in between.
25years seeking answers
54milestones cataloged
21media sources traced
Current service availability and policies will be confirmed before the final launch.
01 · About NNYPRS
Curiosity without sensationalism.
Founded in Northern New York in 2001, NNYPRS grew from a small team in Malone into a regional organization with members in the Capital District. For more than two decades, the group has helped people make sense of experiences they could not readily explain.
Our work brings together witness interviews, local history, environmental measurements, audio and video review, and a willingness to test ordinary explanations first.
Context matters as much as equipment.
We document conditions, research the location, test explanations, and review what was captured.
“Not paranormal” is a valid result.
When ordinary causes explain the evidence, we say so. Unresolved does not automatically mean supernatural.
02 · How we investigate
A calm, careful path from question to answer.
This first-draft process reflects documented historical NNYPRS practice and will be updated with the team’s current protocol.
- 01
Private intake
We listen, identify immediate safety concerns, and determine whether an investigation can help.
- 02
Research & planning
Witness accounts, property history, environmental factors, permissions, and an investigation plan.
- 03
Field investigation
Baseline readings, controlled observation, audio and video documentation, and careful notes.
- 04
Evidence review
Recordings and observations are compared against natural causes, contamination, and known conditions.
- 05
Findings & follow-up
The client receives a clear explanation of what was found, what was ruled out, and what remains unresolved.
03 · Featured case file
The haunting
we did not find.
Workers at the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base gym reported voices, footsteps, banging, screams, and apparitions. Some stories claimed part of the building had once served as a morgue.
NNYPRS tested the building’s acoustics, heating systems, reflective surfaces, mirror distortion, and witness accounts. Sounds traveled extraordinary distances. Building noises reproduced much of the reported activity. Historical research found no morgue.
“No data was acquired that could be considered paranormal in nature.”— NNYPRS post-investigation report
ConclusionNatural explanations accounted for the credible reports.
Seeking truth means being willing to close a case without a ghost story.
04 · A quarter century of inquiry
From Malone basements to historic theaters.
The public record documents investigations, education, media appearances, and community partnerships across Northern New York and the Capital Region.
NNYPRS is founded
Merrill McKee and a cofounder publicly known as Dale organize a team to help people reporting unusual activity.
National attention
CBS News identifies Merrill as NNYPRS president in a national feature on paranormal investigation and skepticism.
First Northern New York Paranormal Expo
Hundreds gather in Plattsburgh for speakers, demonstrations, and community-building. Canned-food admission supports local food pantries.
Training and larger expos
A technical council examines controversial tools, the team hosts investigator training, and Lake George welcomes roughly 30 vendors and 10 presentations.
Inside an investigation
Adirondack Life documents the team’s research, fieldwork, client care, and evidence-review process.
Haunted Broadcast era
Live and recorded programs take the team to Howe Caverns, the Parker Inn, Fort William Henry, Canfield Casino, and Cohoes Music Hall.
Cohoes public investigations
Three public sessions invite audiences into the historic music hall to learn the process and examine evidence alongside the team.
The work continues
Recent investigation notices and a YWCA NorthEastern New York collaboration open the next chapter.
05 · From the archive
Evidence should come with context.
The final site will pair every approved recording or image with where it came from, what conditions were present, what alternatives were tested, and what the team concluded.
Visit the NNYPRS video archive ↗06 · The people behind the work
Meet the leadership.
Three perspectives, one shared standard: listen carefully, test every reasonable explanation, and report what the evidence actually supports.
President / Founder
Merrill McKee
Merrill co-founded NNYPRS in Malone in 2001 and has represented the society publicly for more than two decades. Published accounts show him pairing field equipment with witness interviews, property history, and careful follow-up. Away from paranormal research, he has also shared practical expertise on flying drones safely in North Country winter conditions.
Vice President
Dave Zirpoli
Dave joined NNYPRS early, traveling from the Albany area for investigations before helping establish the society’s Capital Region presence. A 2007 public profile documented his rise to regional team leader; in a 2018 interview, he and Adam opened up the preparation and experiences behind an investigation.
Team Leader
Adam Blakley
Adam is a longtime public-facing NNYPRS investigator and now serves as Team Leader. In a 2018 interview with Dave Zirpoli, he helped take listeners inside the work—what investigators prepare for, what can happen in the field, and how the team approaches unusual experiences.
Merrill and Dave portraits provided and identified by NNYPRS. Adam’s portrait will be added when an approved image is selected.
Request help
You deserve to be heard.
If something unexplained is happening in your home, business, or historic property, tell us what you have experienced. We will respond without judgment.